In a dramatic turn of events in the heart of Johannesburg, a man who had been using Facebook to run a fake iPhone sales scheme was finally caught and condemned—not by the authorities, but by the very victims he had deceived.
For weeks, the scammer had been luring unsuspecting buyers with tempting offers of iPhones at unbeatable prices. Once payments were made, the goods were never delivered, and the seller would vanish without a trace—until now.
Tracking him down in the bustling Johannesburg CBD, several victims took matters into their own hands. Emotions ran high as they confronted the alleged con artist, delivering a swift and painful dose of street justice with a sjambok, a traditional whip often used for discipline.
The incident highlights the growing frustration with online fraud, particularly on social media platforms like Facebook, where scammers exploit trust and anonymity to trick users out of their hard-earned money.
While the use of force raises legal and ethical questions, many in the community saw the public confrontation as a necessary wake-up call for both scammers and social media platforms to tighten their safeguards.
Authorities are said to be aware of the incident, and investigations are likely to follow.
Cautionary Reminder:
Always verify the legitimacy of online sellers. Insist on in-person transactions in safe, public places, and never send money before seeing the product. Social media scams are rising—stay alert, stay informed.
